Arakor Nicodemus
Arakor Nicodemus is a wizard of immense power who long ago retired to Port Blacksand to lead the life of a recluse. He is famous for being one of the Star Pupils of the Grand Wizard of Yore as well as for his many adventures before he moved to the "City of Thieves". Early Life Arakor Nicodemus was born on the 15 of Warming, probably in or around . states he was born just three months after Gereth Yaztromo (p. 107), and tentatively gives their year of birth as "214? " (pp. 62, 118), but elsewhere says that Yaztromo "was born well over seventy years ago – he won't reveal his true age to anyone!" (p. 56); the book was said to have been written in (p. 12), only 71 years after 214. He was the son of a rich merchant from Fang. In around he began to learn his craft under the tutelage of the Grand Wizard of Yore, the Great Archmage Vermithrax Moonchaser in the Forest of Yore. His two contemporaries were Pen Ty Kora and Gereth Yaztromo and together they became known as the "Star Pupils". Like his fellow Star Pupils, Nicodemus excelled in his studies and remained respectful of his master whilst avoiding the lure of dark magic that had the likes of Razaak. They also had a rivalry with Zanbar Bone, who viciously hated them until he was defeated in a firestorm battle of magic by Vermithrax Moonchaser. - 241 After fourteen years, the three Star Pupils completed their studies and left the safety of the Forest of Yore to begin practicing their skills for real. - ??? After Yore Upon leaving the school of wizardry, Nicodemus spent a number of years in the harsh Flatlands where he chose to live a life of hardship for a making his way to the eastern edge of the Moonstone Hills. His intention was to live as a classic adventurer, with the goal in mind of slowly making his way to the strange and exotic city of Zengis in Kaypong. It was at this time that the most famous of his many exploits occurred. - ??? It is implied that he kept opposing his old school nemesis Zanbar Bone, for he is the only one who knows how to defeat the dreaded Night Prince, but never went after him personnally. - 329 The Shaman and the Dark Ones Whilst in the Moonstone Hills he came upon a village beset by the machinations of a shaman whose army of Orcs and Goblins had blighted their land and killed their livestock. Nicodemus disguised himself as a Man-Orc and infiltrated the shaman’s camp to find out that the shaman was planning a ritual to resurrect The Dark Ones. This was the name given to a trio of evil Human Necromancers who had threatened Allansia centuries before even the War of the Wizards. They had been defeated two powerful Elven sorcerers, and their ashes scattered in the Moonstone Hills. spells had been placed on the ground by the Elves preventing the resurrection of the Dark Ones by the normal means of spilling blood. The shaman had evidently found a different means to this end which involved moving the villagers off the land. Nicodemus accompanied the Shaman’s forces to the ritual site and whilst the shaman was in the throes of the ritual, wailing in the tongue known as the [[Demon’s Voice], Nicodemus struck him down with a jagged-bladed sword, displaying combat prowess beyond his magical abilities. Nicodemus fled amongst a flurry of fireballs aimed at the Orc and Goblin horde, casting a purification spell over the ground to ensure that the Dark Ones could never be raised again. - ??? The Death Spell A year later, in an ancient ruined temple on the Pagan Plains, Nicodemus found a large black chest in a crypt. On opening it, he was confronted by three spectral, robed figures. One cried, "At last, Arakor Nicodemus, we are revenged on you! You will not escape a Death spell!" The effects began immediately and in a weakened state he fled the temple, and hurried off in search of his old friend - and fellow Star Pupil – Pen Ty Kora, the Healer, who had last been heard of in Stonebridge. The Dwarfs of that town told him that the Healer was headed for Fang. - ??? At Anvil, three days hard ride north from Stonebridge Nicodemus found his friend. Together they made for the summit of Firetop Mountain, and through the use of Southern Mask Magic, Nicodemus' life was saved. However, Pen Ty Kora, did not escape and through a side effect of dispelling such a powerful enchantment he was disfigured causing him to withdraw from the outside world to a cave in the Icefinger Mountains. - ??? Retirement Nicodemus to pursue his goal of alleviating the troubles besetting the inhabitants of Allansia through good works. However, he at last grew weary of the endless demand for his help from troubled Allansian's. He retired to Port Blacksand, where he lives as a recluse in a hut built into the foundations of the Singing Bridge, over the Catfish River. - ???; - 329 Nicodemus is widely known and respected in all Allansia, for his power and exploits. Even the worst scum of Port Blacksand knows better than getting on his bad side, and none of them ever dared antagonizing him. Even Lord Varek Azzur and the City Guard leave him alone. While he dislikes being disturbed and does not take kindly to strangers, he is still willing to provide advice and intel to those in dire need. He sometimes intervenes in favour of the oppressed though, for he had a scholar blinded by the torturers of Lord Azzur freed from the tyrant's jails. - 179 He sometimes leaves his hideout under the Singing Bridge from time to time, using a magical habit that gives him a lizard-like appearance. - 107, 191, 410 ''City of Thieves'' ''Midnight Rogue'' ''The Port of Peril'' Nicodemus is a central character in The Port of Peril, in which he must be saved from Lord Azzur's jail, before playing a pivotal part in the second destruction of Zanbar Bone, settling a decades-long feud. The Hero first sets out to find the legendary Ring of Burning Snakes, which is eventually revealed to be his long-lost possession. - Intro; 321 It appears that the Ring was found by the failed treasure hunter Gurnard Jaggle, and stolen by the Chaos Warrior Klash, a servant of Lord Azzur, who his conspiring with the Spirit Stalkers to bring back their lord, Zanbar Bone, from the dead. - 108 The Hero ventures into Port Blacksand and reaches Nicodemus's hut, only to find out that Klash has captured him, and had two trolls take him to the prisons of Lord Azzur's Palace. Knowing that he stood no chance against the Legendary Mage, the Chaos Warrior drugged his drinking water with a sleeping potion. - 118 The Hero kills Klash and takes back the Ring of Burning Snakes from his corpse, before sneaking into the jail disguised as a guard, freeing the mage before the wretched governor can plan his execution, along with Luannah Wolff, another hostage. - 322 The Hero gives Nicodemus back his Ring, and the mage backs them up against Zanbar Bone's armies of skeletons, along with the female ninja tracker Hakasan Za and his fellow Star Pupil Yaztromo, so that the Hero can confront the new Demon Prince and his Lesser Demon servant Quag-Shugguth. - 6, 279 He later uses his Ring to trap Zanbar Bone in a Ring of White Flame, breaking his evil power and enabling the Hero to destroy him for the second time. - 296 After the victory, he reunites properly with his old friend, and they spend most of the victory celebration chatting animatedly. - 400 ''The Gates of Death'' Nicodemus may play an active supporting role in The Gates of Death. If you heal the merchant who attacked Brother Tobyn from the Demon Plague instead of killing him, Nicodemus appears, using a magic disguise to look monstrous and repel both citizens and infectee. He brings you with him to his cabin, giving you priceless intel and potions to help on your quest. Alas, he is forced to kill Brother Tobyn after he, in turn, transforms into a demon, grimly stating that he would have died anyway. - 107, 410, 430 If you are foolish enough to attack him, he turns you into a fish and throws you to the Catfish River. - 449 If you did not follow Nicodemus, you will be captured by the city guard and brought to Lord Azzur's palace. Advanced Fighting Fantasy Powers and Skills Nicodemus numbers among the most powerful and skilled mages ever seen on the face of Titan. Even well past his prime, his magical abilities remain supreme, and in a fair fight is still a force to be reckoned with. He masters exceptionally powerful spells, including the Time Freeze spell that traps all enemies around in a temporal stasis, - 322, the powerful Consecrate spell, usually only available to priests, a Shielding spell potent enough to stop many arrows at once, - 221, and a powerful beam of white light that disintegrates the target in a cloud of purple smoke, to name but a few. Adventurers who attempt to pick fights with him may find themselves turned into goldfishes and dropped into the Catfish River. - 137 Even He also owns the Ring of Burning Snakes, a very potent magic amplifier that grants him access to even more powerful magic than usual. With it, he was able to create a Ring of White Flame that can neutralise even the likes of the Demon Princes and make them vulnerable to normal weapons. - 321, 108, 296 Beyond a truly impressive array of powerful magic, Nicodemus is an expert potion-maker, who can brew very potent ones. He is a highly skilled warrior and swordsman, with many years experience behind him, though he does not carry a sword in old age. Further Notes *He is an old friend of Owen Carralif, the Mayor of Silverton - ???, and the former childhood tutor of King Salamon LVII of Salamonis. See Also References Category:Humans-Individuals Category:Wizards Category:Major Faces of Titan Category:Port Blacksand Residents